


Days of Thunder

by holdingbreaths



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: (in some parts of the fic at least), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Rimming, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Virtual Reality, a bit of angsty towards the end, character death (but the whole point of the fic is that they get better), lube as lube just to shake things a bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 03:52:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9159553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdingbreaths/pseuds/holdingbreaths
Summary: Turns out Link's life becomes much more colorful - and, hm, pleasurable - after he realizes he could still meet Ghirahim inside Lanayru's virtual reality.Visiting the 'ghost' of the demon is a great idea, it's not like he had been harboring any feelings towards the sword, now is it?(For the prompt: sex with another person/people listening in).





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ImpureElegance (Nerdy_Girl)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdy_Girl/gifts).



> HEY THERE LIL' DEMONS! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
> 
> It'll be a fucking hard year for a lot of us, but let us pray will be strong and committed to the fight the good fight.
> 
> Anyway, this fic is actually a prompt from the lovely, lovely, wonderful ImpureElegance (Nerdy_Girl) who asked me (after I begged her to prompt me a hundred times):
> 
> "Ooh! I remember seeing this one prompt floating around about person A daring person B to call person C of the phone while getting fucked, and I specifically tagged it as ghiralink on my blog because i can see them being in that situation. either as a modern day au, or one of them talking through the door or wall (you already did something similar though)"
> 
> And bang! Instead of just writing a good sex scene, the plot bunny of this fic appeared, and turns out the sex scene is actually kind of lame. So I'm sorry, ImpureElegance. I failed your wonderful, dirty prompt with something way bigger and angst-y than we all hope for. But, ya know, in my defense, I thought at the beginning that using the Thunder Dragon was a great idea! I couldn't know it would demand me so much?
> 
> Hope you all - but you specially, Niyah, dear - enjoy it!
> 
> (see the end note for the references)

_“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”_

*

“… so we thought we should go out with Peatrice today, since it’s her birthday and everything.”

“Oh, today? Sorry, man, I promised I’d visit Fi, it’s been a while since we talked.”

Groose stopped in his tracks to look over Link. He slowly reached out and squeezed the smaller man’s shoulder, giving him an understanding look. No, worse. A pitying and sympathetic look, as if Link was a poor soul in so much pain.

Link was _not_ heartbroken because of the end of the war. He was not.

He didn’t want the war back. He didn’t want the desperation and the fear of losing Zelda. He didn’t miss facing the Imprisoned or anguishing about completing the Silent Realms. Clearly, those were all things he could do without, and he was so much happier now that he didn’t have to deal with the threat of his people being obliterated from the face of the Earth.

I mean, he never thought of those like good times.

That being said, he missed the sense of adventure, the sense of purpose that the battle provides you: knowing exactly what you have to do, and understanding clearly the difference between right and wrong. Real life doesn’t give you directions or temple maps. Real life gives you healing; slow, painful healing. Real life gives you homework and uneventful days; sore muscles without apparent reason. Real life was like… well, being deeply philosophical, Link had the insight that real life was much like having Fledge as your roommate: neither inherently good or bad, sometimes wonderful and sometimes terrifying for the same reasons, mostly boring and kind of tacky. Yes, that’s real life.

So Link could admit that the life of a Savior was, for a while, thrilling just as much as it was trauma inducing. But honestly, what he missed the most was not the adventurous life of the Chosen One, but the people he left behind.

Fi.

Fi’s absence was a constant pain – a missing limb, and the overused metaphor was, at once, perfect and completely inadequate. Yes, he felt unbalanced and incomplete without her, but not like some part of him was missing. On the contrary, it was like she had left behind a tremendous part of _her_ , changing and growing inside of him, unable to break free without the sword. He missed her every single day.

There was also Impa. Impa was painful in the weirdest way: sometimes he would miss the quiet, mysterious old lady that could pierce into his soul, wise and incredibly kind with his ignorance. Sometimes he would miss the brave, fearless soldier that could roar like a lion and insult him easily. It was like mourning two separate individuals. Every time he could remember something about the old lady that suddenly clicked with the young warrior, it was like he lost her all over again.

And, weirdly enough, Ghirahim. Demon Lord Ghirahim, who would have guessed? But Link was never one to hold a grudge, and Ghirahim had been _fun_. He had been creepy and strong and so sure of himself. Link liked him. He thought the world was less without Ghirahim in it, Ghirahim that could wear make-up and be overly sexual but still the most bad ass swordsman Link would ever face (Demise included). He was psychotic, and slightly – okay, alright, batshit crazy. But he was also strong and loyal and full of life and – and he wasn’t, not anymore. He was gone, just as Fi and Impa.

So Link wasn’t heartbroken over the end of a terrible period of his life. He was mourning the loss of so many important, bright people that were part of his journey. But our Hero was an action man through and through: once he was done denying the pain, he settled in facing the grief and finding ways of soothing the heartache.

Fi was the first one: she wasn’t dead, so it was easier to accept. A part of her still lived in the sacred blade, so Link tried… visiting. It was easy enough: he would go out, walk towards the Temple, and the whole time he tricked himself – “I’m going to meet Fi, and we’re going to talk and I’ll tease her, just like old times”. When he was finally faced with the unmoving sword, something always tightened in his chest, but he didn’t falter: he would sit down and talk to her, just as he had planned, pretending he could hear the answers the sword spirit would surely give him.

Fi was still his friend, dammit. He was allowed to visit her, and talk to her, and fuck, he was allowed to miss her. So if he would rather sit and talk with her in the silence of the Temple instead of going out to the Lumpy Pumpkin to face Peatrice’s obnoxious flirting through the whole night, he should be allowed to, without anyone’s pity. Fuck.

He realized he couldn’t do the same to Impa. Impa was dead, and the true was they never really talked much. But still, Link wanted to give her a proper goodbye, wanted to have some way of remembering and cherishing that life. He came up with an idea about two months after he started talking with Fi.

She couldn’t have a grave, but she should have a memorial. On that quiet, beautiful site where the Life Tree now grew, Link and Groose built a beautiful stone memorial, with a slow moving pendulum on the center. The pendulum reminded them both her long braid, swinging slowly through eternity. It was both a symbol of continuity, of patience, of serenity – virtues that Impa grew in her old age – and of the strength and power the warrior always emanated.

By the end of it – and it took them weeks of hard, unrelenting work to get it done and perfect as they wanted – Groose cried like a little baby. Link knew he missed her more than anyone else, even Zelda. But Groose was used to repress his emotions and carry on. When the memorial was done, he was overflowed with the sadness of her departing. It broke Link’s heart all over again, being there holding Groose in silence, but it felt like a step forward. Towards healing.

So now, every time Link missed Impa, every time he was faced with her absence, he can visit that spot. He’ll often find Groose or Zelda there, and they reminisce over the slow motion of the pendulum, whispering voices and swallowed tears. It’s good, albeit painful.

Ghirahim though… he has nothing to remember him of.

Well, that’s not true. He has a few scars, and some hearts containers he stole from the demon along the way. But that’s about it. He can’t build a memorial, because Ghirahim’s memories are not honorable or virtuous; he can’t visit him anywhere, because there’s nowhere left, nowhere where Ghirahim…

Wait.

“That’s it!” Link yells at the Sacred Sword, where he had been pouring his heart out to Fi. “I _can_ find him again!” he touched the blade with the tip of his fingers – as he always did when saying goodbye, hoping the touch could somehow reach whatever was left of Fi’s conscience – and went fast on his way.

It was stupidly easy, in fact. He had no idea why he hadn’t tried it before. Link was aware it wouldn’t be the same, it was not like he could bring Ghirahim back to life, but he just needed… he needed to have somewhere he could remember the git.

“Link!” The thunderous voice greeted him, happy and humorous as always. “So good to see our Savior! Feeling a bit rusty, are we? There’s nothing like practice to turn us back into fighting machines again! Or maybe you would like to cleanse your soul, with one of the trials?” At this, Link flinched something hard. “Are you here to do a battle or challenge yourself in one of the trials of the Silent Realm?”

“A single battle, please!” Link asked, a big smile on his face. He was a genius. “Right from the beginning, if you would be so kind. I wish to face Ghirahim.”

The powerful Lanayru Dragon laughed freely.

“He’s that creeeeeeeeepy guy you faced in Skyview Temple.” Link laughed at the amount of emphasis the Dragon put in calling Ghirahim a creep. “He looks tough. Are you sure you’re ready to face him?”

“Pretty sure, thanks!”

This was probably Link’s best idea so far. He knew the Dragon’s powers could only bring back a projection of Ghirahim, but honestly, facing him in battle would be as close as Link would ever again be of the crazy Demon Lord. It’s not like their relationship ever amounted to something else besides snarky commentaries between sword wounds.

So Link gets zarped to the virtual reality Lanayru manages to build around the memories of his first fights. He’s back at the Skyview Temple, and the room looks just the same, except where it doesn’t: if he turns too fast, the colors disappear for a second, the image seems to flicker on the edges, and all around the room the shadows appear to hide blank spaces.

And Ghirahim is already at the center of the arena, waiting. His figure almost takes Link’s breath away.

Ghirahim doesn’t move, at first. Link wonders why that is: he faced Ghirahim in this environment before, and his virtual reality enemy always attacked first. But the unmoving opponent is wonderful; he gives Link the opportunity to look at Ghirahim, to sink into the other’s vision, remembering his features, his complexion, the way he moved. Goddess, he missed the bastard. Link circles around the demon, a hand constantly on his own sword, feasting in everything his eyes can see. The way light reflected in his air. The muscles under his white clothes. His long legs. Everything.

“Did you come to fight or paint me, Skychild? Take a picture, it might last longer.”

Link laughed at that, circling back to face Ghirahim. “I wish I had camera on me. No such luck, I’m afraid.”

Ghirahim smiled, flickering his hair and licking his lips. “You are not going to tell me you actually _miss me_ now that you’ve managed to destroy me, do you?”

Link gasped, his defensive posture immediately dropping.

“You… you remember that? I mean, do you know it...? How?”

Ghirahim clicked his tongue, but still didn’t attack. “What do you think I am, Link?”

The younger man actually had to think about that.

“You’re a projection. Something designed to simulate the fighting patterns the real Ghirahim assumed when I first faced him.”

“You’re partially right, of course, but half trues only make for half lies, as you well know. I’m more of a…” Ghirahim finally moved, disappearing and reappearing right behind Link. “Ghost!”

He puffed out of existence again, going back to his spot on the center of the room. Link could still feel his breath on his neck.

“Or, again, not _exactly_ a ghost. I’ll have to admit I don’t have an explanation myself. Dragon’s magic is difficult to grasp, let alone explain to someone who never used magic in the first place. But as it happens, I carry the memories and motivations of your real Ghirahim, but I don’t have an existence beyond… this.”

“Beyond this Temple?”

“Beyond this meeting, Skychild. I’m brought to life through the power of your will conjoined with the Dragon’s power. As soon as you leave this place, dear, I’ll be surrounded by nothingness once again.”

That was difficult to hear. Link’s expression must have betrayed his emotions, because Ghirahim smiled brightly at him.

“Who would have guessed you have such a weak spot for my emotions, Hero? Don’t worry. The void is not painful. You can rest assured I’m quite aware I pushed your hand. You have nothing to feel guilty of.”

“You don’t want to end me? To avenge yourself? Torture me, maybe?”

Ghirahim tilted his head slightly to a side, brow furrowed: he resembled a puppy with a really long blond fringe.

“We were all playing our best moves in a game far beyond our control. Why should I resent you for being exactly what you were always meant to be? Why should you hate me for playing the part I was created to personify?”

“Still… I wish things could have gone different. I still feel like I could have done something.”

Ghirahim stared at him for a long moment. Link lowered his eyes, weak and guilty.

“What power do any of us have against faith or destiny, Link?” Ghirahim finally spoke, so low Link at first thought he imagined. “The red tread of faith that bonded us together in life could not be so easily broken that you could have saved me. I was destined to succumb under the weight of your legend. I’m glad you weren’t crushed under such weight as well.”

“…But are you, really?”

Ghirahim laughed at that.

“Just because I fought against you, Skychild, doesn’t mean I didn’t admire you. You surely felt something beyond animosity for me as well, otherwise you wouldn’t be standing here now, would you?” at this point, the demon conjured a long sword, letting it rest pointing towards the floor. “Unless you tell me you came all the way here just to spar against an old enemy?”

“I didn’t come to fight you.” Link admitted. His whole journey lately was facing the fact he was grieving, in order to accept the absence of his dear ones. “I miss you, actually.”

Ghirahim seemed taken aback by Link’s honesty. Link thought it was a beautiful reaction, enjoying the demon’s open mouth and round eyes.

“If it’s forgiveness you’re seeking, Link, I’ve told you…” Ghirahim started again, but Link waved.

“Yeah, I mean, yes, I get it. But no. I’m not here over guilt, not _just_ over guilt, I actually miss you. The Surface is not the same.”

Ghirahim’s sword disappeared in a haze of diamonds, and the demon seemed to need both his hands to gesticulate towards Link in a very unhelpful way.

“… Clearly, I don’t know what you expect me to say to this.” He finally managed to answer, when all the gesticulation failed.

“Well, I don’t expect you to tell me anything. I just… just tell me I can come back here? I mean, can I? Will you remember our last meeting? Can I see you again?” Link had the strangest feeling his words might bring the wrong idea, so he tried to fix it. “I mean, I wish I could talk to you, not all the time, just sometimes… when I’m…”

“Missing me?” Ghirahim completed, sounding unsure.

Link just shrugged. He knew he was digging his own grave here, but there wasn’t much he could do now.

Ghirahim straightened himself, flipped his long white hair and clicked his tongue. He was buying himself time to think, Link realized.

“I won’t be waiting for you, Skychild.” He suddenly said with his chin raised, a blue diamond shinning over Link’s direction. “I don’t expect this to happen again. But if you ever feel the… inclination to come see me again, I won’t oppose it.” Ghirahim stared at his own fingernails, and it would be a nice effect if he wasn’t wearing gloves. “I always enjoyed our meetings, after all. I don’t believe a small thing like manslaughter should come between our affections, now do you?”

He finally looked over Link again, a sly smile playing on his lips. Link felt warmed.

“No, it shouldn’t.” Link laughed. “I’ll see you again, Demon Lord.”

Ghirahim’s parting gesture was a snap of his fingers, sinking Link in total darkness.

*

“How was the fight?”

“Better than I expected, actually. Thank you, sir!”

“Anytime!”

*

Link went visiting Ghirahim almost a month after the first visit. He choose not to tell Groose or Zelda anything, because he knew both of his best friends wouldn’t be able to recognize his grief for the demon the same way they had sympathized with his feelings towards Fi or Impa. After building Impa’s memorial, Groose could understand Link’s time with Fi much better, but Ghirahim was another ball game entirely. It was hard to explain to himself why he felt so connected with the sword spirit, let alone talk to others.

So he just claimed he was visiting the Thunder Dragon to pick some battles, and that wasn’t exactly a lie, so all was well.

Ghirahim was just like the last time he saw him, standing on the same spot.

“I wasn’t sure you would come back, Skychild.” He said as soon as Link opened his eyes.

“Well, I promised, didn’t I?” Link walked towards the Demon, standing next to him. “So, how are you?”

“Still very much dead, thank you.” Ghirahim chuckled lightly after saying it, but his words still sting to Link. “And you? I have to say, you look especially delicious today. Do you have anything of interest to talk about? What can you tell me about the outside world? What are those little vermin you call comrades up to?”

“Really?” Link looked at him in surprise.

“‘Really’ because you can’t believe I would still insult Skyloftians? Trust me, my destruction has not proved your people superior, it has only proved my Master inferior.”

Link rolled his eyes.

“No, ‘really’ because I didn’t think you’d want to hear about the living world.”

“Oh, c’mon, what kind of whining bitch do you take me for?” the demon raised a hand. “Don’t answer that, dear, please. We have to talk about your life, otherwise we’d just dig old wounds and our meetings would soon become either too dull or too bitter. There’s no novelty in death, trust me.”

Link smiled.

“Well, I do have news, if you’re interested.”

Ghirahim conjured them both long chairs.

*

“…so now she wants to end the Festival because she thinks it’s creepy that other girls would try to embody her.”

“It _is_ creepy, Your Holiness is totally right, I’m so bitter I have to agree with her.”

“It’s our Goddess Festival!”

“And it creeps your Goddess out! What kind of good omens could come from _that_? She’s right there, ask her to perform the ceremony herself instead.”

“…That’s actually a good idea.”

*

“…and you know, now he’s fat and spends all his days cutting bamboo and his daughter totally ignores him, and I kinda of wonder if that’s my fate.”

“Stop eating pumpkin in all your meals and that won’t be your fate.”

“Pumpkin is not the problem.”

“Pumpkin is totally your problem, since you were the one pointing out being fat is a worst fate than death. Cry me a fucking river. Accept you won’t look like a twink your whole life and you will stop being so afraid of turning into fat-bald-bamboo guy.”

“I never told you he’s bald, how do you know that?”

“Of course he’s fucking bald, do you take me for an amateur?”

*

Their conversation was exactly what you would expect from a conversation with the ghost of Ghirahim: filled with bitter, snarky remarks about the good people of Skyloft; laced with innuendos and sexual gestures, the occasional licking; and paced with the colorful commentaries that would make any respectful Hero blush. Link was happy to verify Ghirahim had just as much wit and soul in him as he suspected – that their little exchanges between battles were just a taste of all the fantastic non-sense Ghirahim could say in a blink. 

It was… fun. Fun like Link always knew Ghirahim would be. It felt like meeting an old friend who’s being away for too long, and the hunger Ghirahim had for any kind of news brought Link both delight – on being the one telling him all he wanted to hear – and grief – that Ghirahim would be so starved for so little.

“I should get going.” Link said, getting up before Ghirahim could drag him in another detailed description of Skyloft houses. “Time runs weirdly in this place, I have no idea how long we’re here.”

“Oh.” Was the sound out of Ghirahim’s mouth, and Link could see, for one instant, the heartbreak – it was over on the next second, and the demon was smiling. “Skychild, dear, time flies when we’re having fun.” Ghirahim clapped his hands once, and his smile grew even bigger. “Well, Hero, you once were an honorable ene-”

“Wait, no.”

“What?”

“What?” Link repeated, stupidly. “I mean, no. I’m coming back.”

“What? Yes, coming back. Home.”

“Yeah, for now, yeah, but I’m coming back. Here, I mean. Soon. I’ll come visit again.”

“What?” Ghirahim asked for the fourth time in the same dialogue, and Link started to suspect he wasn’t making himself quite clear.

“Ghirahim, look. If you’re not opposed, I’ll ask the Thunder Dragon to let me see you again, sometimes.”

Silence. Ghirahim blinked.

“Are you?” Link asked.

“Am I what?”

“Opposed?”

“Oh, for fucks sake!” Ghirahim finally exploded, hands in the air. “Of course I’m not _opposed_. Even if I were, I’m the Dragon’s projection, I would have to deal with you. What do you think I’d do, sit in a corner and give you the silent treatment? But no, I’m not opposed. I just thought this was, I don’t know, a one-time thing.”

“It’s the second time I come.”

“Oh, you know what I mean, insufferable brat.” Ghirahim whole vibe changed in a second: it was like a sudden idea had hit him. The demon flicked his bangs and, slowly, walked a few languid, predatory steps towards the Hero, staring him down the whole time. When he was close enough to touch, he licked his lips. “Actually, you do know what that means, right?”

“I’m sure I… don’t?” Link answered, suddenly so aware of their height difference.

“The next time you _come_ , Skychild,” Why did he put so much emphasis in the word ‘come’??? Why? “it’ll be our third date. You _surely_ must know what happens on third dates.”

Link swallowed. Ghirahim was so very tall. The demon kept staring. He swallowed again, and this time Ghirahim watched his mouth. Fuck.

“…And what if _I_ oppose?”

“There’s an easy way of winning this fight, Link.” Ghirahim inclined all the way to Link’s height, and spoke right against his ear, tongue brushing Link’s skin. “W.O.”

The demon quickly snapped his fingers, and Link could still feel his breath against his neck even as darkness surrounded him.

*

“You look pale, Link. Maybe you should take a red potion? Did you lost a lot of blood?”

“No, Lanayru, sir. I may have lost my mind, though. And some of my dignity as well, so please mention if you ever find it.”

*

Two weeks later, Link had a lot of excuses for himself.

Basically, he convinced himself he knew what Ghirahim’s game was. The demon didn’t want him to comeback, because he felt vulnerable and lost in the presence of affection and friendship. It must have been hard, right, being Demise’s sword? The poor soul probably never had a single gesture of fondness directed to him. So he wasn’t sure he could count on Link’s companionship, and he was afraid. He was so afraid he had to find a way of scaring Link off, so he decided to make a game of chicken.

Of course, this was all Ghirahim’s plot to make himself emotionally unavailable. He thought he could scare Link off with a couple of licks and some innuendo. Well, tough shit. Link was anything if not brave. He would pierce right through Ghirahim’s deception and show that his own affections were pure, platonic and lasting.

He had no intentions, whatsoever, of sleeping with the Demon Lord. No intention at all. He had pure affections. He was a good Hero. He was certain the Demon didn’t mean to flirt with him.

“One day you’re gonna bullshit yourself into believing the sky is purple, asshole.” He told his own reflection, just before applying another whiff of perfume.

*

“Skychild! Such a _pleasure_ seeing you again!”

“Don’t act so surprised.” Link answered, smiling openly towards Ghirahim. “It’s the third time, after all.”

Fuck his own big mouth. Why did he had mention that? Ghirahim’s smile became instantly more predatory, and there was a hint of tongue in it.

“You are right, of course.” The demon flicked his bangs, and did the most obvious once-over Link had ever seen. “I wouldn’t expect you so soon, though. Eager, were you?”

Nonchalant. Calm. Collected. Easy does it, Link. Just breathe and keep it together.

“Ha!” Link waved Ghirahim away, and his behavior must have been convincing, because the demon looked taken aback. “I just wanted to show you something, actually, get your opinion on a new project. That is, if you’re still interested in the living world news?”

“I…” Ghirahim clicked his tongue, a habit Link was learning he used to win his time. “…Well, yes, of course. If you don’t have any other, hm, suggestions for us to spend our time together.”

Just ignore it. Easy does it. Breathe.

Link sat down in a corner. “Come here, I wanna show you something.”

Ghirahim walked slowly towards the younger man, trying not to look too eager (and obviously failing), dropping himself on the floor with all the drama of a diva, lying on his stomach.

“So, what is it?”

Link opened a map. “See this place here? We’re thinking about building a new home for our people there. What do you think?”

“That you’ll be flooded and that your ‘home’ will be washed away the first time the Water Dragon sneezes. Are you sure you want to build something this close to the lake?”

“Oh.” Link blinked, laying himself beside Ghirahim, so they could both look at the map spread in front of them. “But… our other option would be the Temple… we have a Bokoblin infestation on that area.”

“Oh, you can deal with Bokoblins! They don’t have a leader anymore, you’ll destroy them in no time.” Ghirahim considered. His breath was so close, raising shivers in Link’s skin. Link knew the demon was staring at him, body angled so he could look over the other man. “I mean, you have an… army, now, don’t you?” Ghirahim’s hand was suddenly on Link’s thigh, tickling the inside of his leg.

This was a bad idea. Lying beside Ghirahim on the Temple’s floor was a bad idea. Lying with his backside exposed was a bad idea. Being so close to Ghirahim was a bad, bad, no-good idea.

“Not, ah, hum, not an army, hm, exactly.”

“Hmmm…” the hand was coming higher, tracing patterns on Link’s skin. The Hero didn’t dare to look up, eyes fixed in the map in front of him as Ghirahim caressed his leg. “All those brave, strong knights…” Ghirahim’s thumb was just under Link’s ass, pressing against the round flesh. “They could be so very helpful right now… fighting against…”

“Against?” Link asked in a weak voice.

“Against Bokoblins, of course.” Ghirahim’s hand was rubbing Link’s crotch, fingertips lightly caressing Link’s hard cock. His next words were said with his lips against Link’s cheeks. “What else do you want to fight against, Skychild?”

The demon licked a long trail from Links shoulder to the point behind his ear, and Link could hear himself moan as the fingers tracing his crotch became more insistent. This has gone too far, Link tried to tell himself. Stop him. Now. Anytime now.

“Ghirahim…” he wasn’t stopping him, he was moaning his name! “The… the Dragon…”

“Don’t worry, he would only hear if you called for him. He doesn’t spy all the time.”

“But…” the hand was making even firmer caress right now, going from his hardening dick all the way up to the crease of his ass. “But he does, oh, he does spy sometimes.”

“Not likely.” Ghirahim sucked just below his ear, and Link arched with it. “He doesn’t have eyes here, just ears. Now that you know this will be a private show, tell me I can take your clothes off.”

“Ghirahim…”

Ghirahim’s hand was around his cock. Link was all the way hard, and probably already leaking. His head was spinning.

“Tell me, Skychild. Tell me.”

Fuck.

*

He was lying naked on the Skyview Temple floor. No, he was lying naked on Lanayru’s virtual reality, being straddled by Lanayru’s virtual Ghirahim, arching towards a virtual cock that rubbed just outside his very real, very needy ass.

Fuck.

“Now tell me, dear,” Ghirahim whispered against his ear, breath warm, as Link couldn’t help but arch and try to get better friction. “is this the first time you’ll get impaled on a hard cock?”

“Yes!” Link answered, even though he was probably commenting on the way Ghirahim’s hands found themselves gripping his ass cheeks and exposing his hole to the demon. “I mean, ye-yes, it’s not my first time with sex but it’s my first time… oh… getting fucked.”

“So sweet.” A lick on his shoulder. “So obedient.” Another lick between his shoulder blades, and he can feel Ghirahim’s thumb massaging just outside his hole. He could feel himself opening and closing, and having something inside him was quickly becoming as urgent as having Ghirahim’s hand against his dick.

The second Ghirahim started to press inside, though, Link’s body reacted instinctively and he contracted against the exploring finger. Ghirahim gave him a quick kiss on his shoulder and put both his hands in Link’s narrow waist.

“Do you have any potions in you? We might need something to ease our way.” He said in a surprisingly gentle, calming voice. Hysterically, Link almost laughed: Ghirahim might be afraid of spooking him out of butt sex. “Red potions won’t do us any good because they might prevent you from, hm, stretching, but stamina potions might actually be fun if-”

“I have lube.”

“I’m sorry, Skychild, what?”

Link sighed. He turned around, lying with his butt on the cold floor and staring directly at the Demon Lord, upper body raised.

“I brought actual lube with me.” Ghirahim stared down at him, mouth agape and eyebrows raised. “What? You told me you’d fuck me. I didn’t want to end up using smelly potions on my derriere, thank you very much.”

At first, there was no reaction from Ghirahim. A few seconds later, though, the demon was laughing fully, with his mouth open and his pale neck exposed, eyes closed, hair falling in cascades around his face. It was a beautiful, beautiful moment, that Link enjoyed immensely, until Ghirahim kissed him for the first time.

Now, not _exactly_ for the first time. Technically, they had shared a few kisses while Ghirahim undressed him; dirty meetings of mouths as Ghirahim followed the path of his fingers with his lips. Ghirahim’s long tongue had found its way inside his mouth five seconds after Link had agreed with this whole thing, but all those naughty kisses had been just part of the sex, like getting naked and touching each other’s bodies. This, right there, was their first kiss: Ghirahim with a hand around his neck while the other caress his cheeks, touching his lips just lightly and then pressing harder, moving his mouth and teasing Link’s lips open with his tongue. Tasting him inside and twirling his tongue to make it even more sensual, turning his head slightly so they can fit better, kissing him thoroughly and slowly and deeper than anyone before – that, right there, was their first kiss.

And Link was lost in it.

The kiss was addictive, and Link would very much love to enjoy it for hours. Even though Link’s cock was very much committed with the idea of coming soon, the urgency was gone, replaced with the undeniable pleasure of being so close to the demon. It took several minutes before Link started to thrust his cock against Ghirahim’s still covered abs again, breaking the contact between them. Physical needs aside, as Link tangled his fingers in Ghirahim’s soft hair and pulled him down, devouring the demon’s lips, he discovered the kiss revealed way too much about this meeting and about himself. So very easily, Link figured, he could forget even the most urgent matters in favor of Ghirahim’s taste.

*

“Please, oh Hylia, I can’t!”

“Patience is a virtue.” Ghirahim snapped his fingers, and whatever clothes were left in his body vanished. “I’m still punishing you for being such a slut you brought your own lube to get fucked.”

Ghirahim had three fingers inside him. It felt like he was being fingered for _centuries_ , honestly. Ghirahim worked him open so very slowly, inserting finger after finger, scissoring inside him, alternating between shallow, hard thrusts and slow, deep fucks. He had found his prostate only to ignore it, find it again, tease it endlessly, ignore it again. Link could feel lube dripping from his stretched rim.

It was part of his punishment, you see. Ghirahim wanted to use the _whole bottle_ of lube in him, feed him in small amounts until his inner thighs were drenched with it and Link felt himself going crazy.

Then Ghirahim had, in his cruelest act ever – and he once raised Demon King Demise from the dead –, actually licked him. Licked him. Licked _inside_ him, taking advantage from Link’s ass being open and stretched and dripping with lube, inserting his huge, warm tongue inside Link’s hole. Link was so surprised that for a whole second he couldn’t figure what was happening, but when his mind caught up it was way too late: he was already squirming under Ghirahim’s tongue, hands struggling to find support as his body convulsed in pleasure, as Ghirahim’s fingers wrapped themselves around his leaking cock. The tongue reached him deep, fucked him slow and made him even wetter, it was hell.

He was sure he was coming. Sure.

And then the asshole stopped and went back to finger-fucking him. Three fingers deep, fucking him fast with his legs on each of Ghirahim’s shoulders. The thrusts felt like slaps now, abusing his hole and forcing him open, and Link wanted to scream, he was so close.

“Do you… Fuck, do you really think I’m a slut?” Link asked, pushing himself down on Ghirahim’s fingers like a… well, exactly like a slut. He felt so open he couldn’t recognize his own body.

“No, of course not!” Ghirahim whispered back, with the simplicity of someone who knows there’s no such thing as sluts. The next moment, though, he had mischief in his eyes, a fond smile in his lips. “But I do enjoy punishing you, Skychild.” The demon inclined himself further, squeezing Link’s legs against their chests, folding him in half. “Would you let me punish you?”

“Yes! Fuck, yes, please fuck me.”

Ghirahim’s fingers were outside the next moment, and the demon manhandled him easily, turning him around in a kneeling position, slapping his ass as soon as Link went on all fours.

A second later his cock was pushing inside, and the shock of finally being penetrated combined with the drag of the member against his prostate made Link immediately come, grunting loudly as his cock spurted.

Too much for stamina potions.

*

The whole thing was… a wild ride, not only as an erotic experience, but very much as an experience in intimacy. It wasn’t sweet, it wasn’t tender, it was a hard fuck on a temple floor with Link on all fours, moaning so loud he was almost screaming, his ass open and wet and leaking lube until eventually it was leaking Ghirahim’s come.

Link could probably tell you he didn’t come from being fucked, exactly, but from all the edging Ghirahim had put him through: the cock inside acted like a trigger. He didn’t get to come on Ghirahim’s cock again, even though he got hard soon after and Ghirahim kept jerking him off – the stimulation felt good but too much at times, and often Link had to stop and rest before he could keep going: it was physically and, for some reason, emotionally overwhelming to be penetrated, as no other sex act had never been for Link. Later, Link figured it had something to do with the power and intimacy of the act.

Ghirahim was, surprisingly, a great partner: he would kiss Link’s face and whisper how good he was, how delicious, and quiet him down while Link gathered himself, hugging him close without rushing him. He would calm his shivers and help him breathe evenly, patiently waiting for Link to ask for it again. After a few moments, the feeling of being empty and hard would overtake the Hero again, and he would ask for Ghirahim’s cock in the sweeter way possible.

After Ghirahim had added to the mess already inside Link, he graciously sucked Link’s cock, swallowing around the girth and managing to bring him to orgasm under five minutes. His fingers kept playing with Link’s stretched hole as the Hero spurted out what felt like liters of come and lube, his ass opening beyond his command as it bubbled out of him. It was incredibly sensual but equally embarrassing to make such a mess, to feel his body gushing out the hot liquid that sprayed out on the floor. But even as Link tried to hide his face under his hands – no, really, why did he have to make such a mess? – Ghirahim kissed his face and told him what a perfect, delicious little whore he was.

All in all, a very considerate gentleman, 10 out of 10, would fuck again.

Oh, no – Link realized something, back on that glorious moment where his cock hit the back of Ghirahim’s throat. He would fuck again. In fact, he might love to fuck again.

It… wasn’t something to worry about, Link decided as he watched Ghirahim swallow his come. He wasn’t doing anything wrong. Everything was fine.

*

“So, did the creepy give you any trouble?”

“I could always handle him, sir.”

*

Link wasn’t back for forty days. It was a mix of fear and excitement that kept him away: every time he thought about Ghirahim, his legs would tremble and his mouth would go dry, remembering how utterly _submissive_ and vulnerable he’d been under Ghirahim’s hands.

That being said, the Demon had been awfully careful with him; while managing to avoid turning a fuck into love making. Being tender and yet dominant wasn’t something easy to accomplish. He had to give the man credit.

Besides, something else was raising a red alert in Link’s brain. He felt as if… well, as if he had waited for that particular outcome – getting fucked hard on the Temple’s floor – since the first time he’d been to see Ghirahim. Of course he’d been ready the last time, lube in a pocket and cock half hard from the beginning. But Link hadn’t been aware of how truly eager he was to confront all the innuendos and half implied intentions the sword had teased him with back in the old days. Maybe all the licking and once-overs were never really forgotten.

So now Link felt as if… as if he had gotten exactly what he wanted for a long time, except for the part he doesn’t remember actively wanting that.

But it doesn’t help to try and rethink every interaction he ever had with Ghirahim, or his feelings about it. He wants it, he can have this, so he’s going to take it.

He buys another empty bottle and only blushes a little as he asks for lube in Luv’s Potion store.

*

Still, should he be doing this? Maybe he can turn it back. Maybe he can talk and go back to his wonderful plan of being friends with Ghirahim. Yes, that would be great. He doesn’t want to be having sex within a Dragon’s virtual reality, it was awfully… dirty. Nothing a Hero should be getting into.

*

“Look who it is…” Link heard in Ghirahim’s sultry voice, but the man was nowhere to be seen.

“You were expecting someone else?” Link asked to the ceiling, wondering where the other was hiding. “C’mon, where are you?”

“I am exactly where I can catch your best angle, of course.” The Demon said right behind him, his breathe tickling Link’s neck.

“Fuck, don’t scare me like that!”

“I’m sorry, dear.” Ghirahim didn’t sound sorry, and his apologize kiss, just below Link’s ear, didn’t feel like making amends. “Are you jumpy today?”

Link turned around to face him directly. “No, but having you disappear on me brings back bad memories.” Link traced a scar in his shoulder lightly. “If you catch my meaning.”

“Oh, _Skychild_ , but I thought my presence behind you might bring you back to more _pleasant_ moments… C’mon…” Ghirahim’s hand was on his face, grabbing him hard enough it felt like a slap, squeezing his cheeks and forcing him to stay still.

The next moment, Ghirahim was pushing his tongue inside Link’s mouth, a dirty kiss that felt a lot like a promise of a dirty fucking. It didn’t last long, though, because Ghirahim was pulling him hard by his hair right after, exposing his neck to bites and kisses. His other hand found its way through Link’s waist, and Ghirahim was pulling him in towards his toned body and hard cock.

Talk. He had wanted to talk with Ghirahim. Not this.

“Ghirahim…” he moaned, and once again it was counter-productive, because moaning always meant Ghirahim felt free to rub himself against him. “We should talk…”

Despite his own words, Link wasn’t stopping: he was biting on Ghirahim’s shoulder and pulling him even closer, even though Ghirahim was taking his hint and slowing down. Except slowing down was the opposite of Link’s body wanted.

Ghirahim held his hips firmly, and Link was forced to stop his movement. “If you want to talk, Link, maybe you should stop rubbing against me like a two rupee whore.”

Link was breathing hard as if he’d run for kilometers. He tried to say something, but his voice wasn’t working. Ghirahim took another step back, a wicked smile on his face. He raised his fingers and there it was – the bottle of lube, that Ghirahim must have pickpocketed sometime during their kiss.

“So you brought this so it would make our conversation run smoother?” the asshole laughed. “I’ll tell you what, dear: I’ll make good use of this brand new bottle here, prepare my cock for you. You can say whatever you meant to say as I do it. But if I’m finished and you’re still talking, Hero, you won’t get any warm up before I trust myself inside your hole, do you hear me?”

Fuck. No. There was no way his brain was going to work like that.

“Unless, of course, you want me to stop.” Ghirahim told him, as he opened his pants slowly. “If you want me to stop you just have to say the word. Four little letters.” Link was silent, staring at the point where Ghirahim’s pubes were visible. “No? I’ll keep going, then.”

“I… I’m not sure…”

“You’re not sure?” Ghirahim was pumping his cock, and the vision made Link’s mouth water – he could remember the exact feeling of having it inside him, heavy and big. It was terribly distracting, and Link could not tear his eyes from that. “What are you unsure about?”

“That, hm… this is… hm.”

All the words in Link’s brain were replaced with ‘cock’, ‘hard’ and ‘fuck’. His mind couldn’t fill the blank spaces where useful words once lived.

“Are you having second thoughts about having intercourse with the ghost of a demon, Skychild?” Ghirahim asked, and how come he was so articulate, so mentally capable? “It’s okay if you are.”

“Is it?” Link asked, stupidly, incapable of following the conversation.

“Of course it is!” Ghirahim hand was slowly spreading the transparent liquid on his skin, going from the big, round tip all the way towards the veiny base, his cock engorged with arousal. “You’re allowed to have doubts, questions. Tell me what bothers you.”

How could he say anything? He tried anyway. “I’m… I’m not sure I should…”

He couldn’t say anything else. Ghirahim was in front of him and then he wasn’t: with a snap of his fingers, he stood behind Link, whispering right his ear.

“Maybe you shouldn’t, then.” Ghirahim’s hands were slowly lowering Link’s pants, and the demon’s cock was rubbing against every fresh spot of naked skin being exposed. “Maybe you should stop. Do you want to stop?”

“No!” Link answered, and oh, wonder: his voice worked, after all. He lowered his head in Ghirahim’s shoulder, rubbing himself against the demon. “Don’t wanna stop, Ghirahim, don’t wanna…”

“So you want me to keep going?”

Link knew exactly what Ghirahim was asking, and yes, okay, he wanted the demon to keep going. He reached behind himself and spread his own cheeks, his hole opening and closing around nothing – he believed it was answer enough.

“I see…” Ghirahim said, pressing closer, his member brushing just outside Link’s hole. The demon pressed inside, and… well, it hurt. The head seemed too big to fit inside, and Link clenched instinctively, arching away from Ghirahim.

The demon laughed. “Well, it seems you’re not ready to receive punishment as you should. Let me try to remedy this.”

Link felt Ghirahim’s thumb, coated in what had to be a thick lay of lube, pushing inside his ass without preamble. The finger stretched him around for a bit, with none of the care or the patience the demon showed the last time they did that, and then it was leaving his body.

“I want you to feel this, Skychild. It’ll hurt a bit. Would that please you?”

Well, no, why would it? “Yeah.” Link heard himself answer, no filter or coordination between his brain and his mouth.

He was stripped out of his clothes by Ghirahim’s magic, and the demon was now sitting on the floor, bringing him down to sit on his lap, his back towards the demon, Ghirahim lowering his body slowly on the hard member.

Finally a little self-preservation seemed to kick in inside Link, and he tried to raise his body again, getting away from the cock aiming to stretch him.

“What now?” sounded the amused voice of Ghirahim right behind him, his breath hot against the Hero’s skin. He pressed a kiss on Link’s shoulder. “Are you regretting your choice? Afraid of the pain? I can take it slower, if you want. Make it really sweet.”

Now, Link believed the sword – if he asked, he believed Ghirahim would slow down and actually prepare him for the penetration to come. But he didn’t want to sound weak, or he didn’t want to sound like a cower, or maybe he just got too nervous or some stupid shit like that…

(or some fucked up dirty part of him actually wanted to be spread open on the hard member, afraid of the pain but also trembling with want)

…because he fished for something to say that could justify his acts:

“No, I just, I don’t know, man, I don’t know about the dragon, okay?”

Ghirahim was laughing freely. “The _dragon_? I’m about to fuck you and you’re thinking about the dragon? Are you sure this has nothing to do with you being afraid?”

“No! No, ‘course not, I-I… I’m just concerned he’ll hear it, that’s all.”

“Are you concerned or do you want him to hear it? Every time I fuck you it seems like you can’t shup up about the possibility, maybe it turns you on!” Ghirahim laughed more, and Link could feel the hands on his hips forcing him back on the cock. His body was actually opening to the invasion when the demon spoke again: “Does it? The thought of someone else hearing you take it, hearing you ask for it like a slut? Does this make you harder, Link, knowing someone can hear you being fucked? You know what? Let’s give you what you want. Lanayru, oh, Lanayru!”

Ghirahim was calling the dragon. Ghirahim was fucking calling the dragon!

Link trashed around, but he could feel Ghirahim’s cock head already breaching inside his body, and the demon’s hands were holding him firmly in place. If anything, his trashing only made the cock sink deeper.

“Don’t you dare getting up, Link.” Ghirahim whispered against his ear viciously, a hand going up to firmly shut Link’s mouth. “You’re going to talk to him with my cock inside you.”

“Link? Is that you?” The grave body-less voice sounded from above.

Ghirahim’s hand was lowered, and Link felt the cock head dragging his insides as the demon sank a little deeper.

“O-oh… Yes, it’s me.” Link answered, unable to stop a moan, knowing his voice was breathless and shaky. “I-I, oh, I called for you.”

It wasn’t possible that Ghirahim’s cock was that much bigger towards the base, Link was almost sure his head was the widest part, and _yet_ , somehow, he felt as if his hole was being breached by a huge pole that just kept getting _larger_.

“Yes, child! Do you wish to end this fight?”

“No!” Link screamed in panic, his legs slipping and making him sink more. “No, I mean, please, no, I just-oh, just have to keep-”

He stopped himself to bite against his own hand: he could feel he was almost there, and the pain was getting mixed with pleasure or maybe pure excitement.

“Link? Is everything okay? Is the demon defeating you?”

 _Almost there, almost there_. “He is, uhm, a hard oppo-oh-opponent, sir.” Ghirahim suddenly opened his legs and Link couldn’t do anything but sink fast on the remainder centimeters of hard flesh, mouth open in a scream as his buttocks hit Ghirahim’s hipbones.

“Is everything okay? Link, are you hurt?” Lanayru asked with urgency.

“Ye-yes, sir.” Link couldn’t think, he felt so full, Ghirahim’s cock resting inside him. “Yeah, he just stabbed me, that’s all.”

“Do you require my assistance?”

“NO-uhhh!” Ghirahim chose the exact moment Link tried to scream to start moving, cock dragging on Link’s rim as he pulled out. “No, please, no, please, please, please no assistance.”

He pushed inside again, and the lube was finally spreading, but still Link felt as if being impaled, the girth too large for him to take, his hole opening due to pure strength and gravity.

“Then why did you call me?”

The dragon was getting suspicious and Link could only close his eyes and let his head fall on Ghirahim’s shoulder as the demon planted his feet on the floor and picked up speed fucking up in his burning ass. Thank the Goddess Lanayru couldn’t see inside that room, otherwise he would be treated to a vision of the Hero with his legs open, sitting spread on the cock and biting his own lips to prevent the moaning.

Yet, yet, Link was sure the sounds were obvious, the loud hits of flesh against flesh, the embarrassing sounds of the lube being sucked inside his body. It was obvious, it was shameful, the dragon surely… but yet, he couldn’t make himself stop shaking, stop moving, stop moaning: Ghirahim was fucking right, wasn’t he?

“Link?”

He had to think of something, anything.

“I ju-just, oh Goddess, I just want to chan-change the arena.”

Up and down, up and down, Link was being bounced as if he weighted nothing.

A laugh echoed in the Temple.

“Bored with Skyview already? Where do you wish to go?”

 _Anywhere_. Some place where Link could scream and moan freely and Ghirahim could fuck him and…

“The Fire Sanctuary!” Link yelled when Ghirahim let him rest for a second.

The scenery immediately changed around him, and now he had a brand new room to be debauched in, getting fucked in an air slightly warmer, watching the stone pillars as he was bounced up and down.

“I hope you enjoy this arena, Link!” and the sound of the Dragon’s voice was gone, the only thing left the slap of skin against skin as Link was pounded into, the cock inside him ramming with enough force to raise him from the lap.

On one of Ghirahim’s thrusts, his cock slipped outside, and for less than a second Link felt the relieve of being empty: but just as his hole was fighting to close, Ghirahim was pushing inside again, and the pain made the Hero yell in earnest.

“Want me to stop already?” the demon asked again, smug and charming.

“No, no, no, no…” Link chanted, even though he felt like he was being ripped in two. It felt terribly and pleasurable at the same time and Link wasn’t sure he could live without the feeling of Ghirahim’s cock trying to sink deeper and deeper and deeper.

Ghirahim’s hands were now holding his thighs apart, and Link could feel every drag and pull of the member as the demon continued. Eventually Link started to match his thrusts, raising his own body and letting it sink down freely, as he reached behind himself to hold onto Ghirahim’s shoulders for purchase. It kept going like this for ages, and Link would have called Lanayru for real if it wasn’t for the pure hotness of having Ghirahim biting his shoulder and pressing him down all the way as he came inside the Hero.

Link came soon after that, his own hand jerking over and over until he made a mess on the Temple floor.

*

“So you managed to show your superiority, son?”

“Sir, I’m not sure I would call it that… I surely demonstrate, hm, endurance.”

*

It became a habit. It shouldn’t, but it did. A habit of going over Lanayru Desert and visiting the Dragon and asking for a single fight, already hardening inside his pants with just the promise of meeting the terrible demon. A habit of having hot, messy sex within that reality, knowing that whatever ripped clothes would be whole in reality, whatever come spilled would be unable to truly stain.

Sometimes, in the back of his mind, Link missed… something. Still, even after finding the perfect way of dealing with Ghirahim’s absence, he didn’t have a single memento to keep from the demon. He would come back from his ‘battles’ missing the ache in his shoulders, missing the darkened skin that the love bite shared should had left in his body. But none was possible. It didn’t matter how hard he clenched, he couldn’t bring home the feeling of Ghirahim’s come between his legs. After each reunion it was like nothing had happened, no trace to reassure the Hero that it was reality and not just a dream, the hours he livid inside Lanayru’s world. But every time his heart pointed that something was missing, Link would tranquilize his own spirit with the knowledge that Ghirahim would be forever available in their little make-believe realm.

So it was perfect, really. Kinky and dirty and shameless and perfect.

Perfect, perfect in the way Ghirahim would invade and thrust and bite and scratch him, and still kiss his lips in a gentle, sensual fashion. Perfect in the way Ghirahim would sometimes fuck him while being in metal, his body unforgiving against Link’s warm and soft skin, his cock harder than ever, his fingers cold and piercing. Or in the way he would sometimes tease him for hour before sinking into the mess their fingers left in Link’s body. Perfect in the way they tried every arena and temple after that night in the Fire Sanctuary, rocking slowly against each other on the moving Sandship, letting the waves dictate their coupling.

Strangely, it – whatever it was, those stolen moments in each other’s company – worked in other ways as well. Link could thrust Ghirahim his worries and his concerns without fear of being judge or cuddled: Ghirahim would offer his cold, hard opinion. They _talked_ , really talked, sharing and laughing and disagreeing for hours straight.

Really, if Link was being honest, he felt incredibly lucky: he was the only one able to steal back the moments taken away from them by death. No other Hero, no other God, no other human or demon or monster could say that. It was the last battle won.

At first, he felt like his actions were cheating – like his dirty little secret was some kind of trick, that he would eventually have to pay for the hacked happiness. But then – then, in one of the days when Ghirahim pressed him hard against his own body, with urgency and hunger – he realized he wasn’t the one wrong. He was the wronged. He was the victim. He wasn’t wrong, he was taking what had to be, legitimately, his. It was death the thief, death who gripped that amazing life with long, cold fingers and didn’t let Link live all the beautiful, bright moments they were entitled to. He was the Hero. He was making things right.

So he let the habit grow roots inside his heart, because it was easy to silent all the whispering voices in his head as Ghirahim yelled his name.

*

“’Lo, sir! How are you today?” Link cheerfully greeted the Dragon, almost giddy with the anticipation of seeing Ghirahim.

“I’m… I’m alright, Link. I’ll always be alright.” Lanayru answered, and he sounded more formal, more distant than normal. Maybe distant was not the word: the dragon was serious. “But how about you? How are you, really?”

“I’m fine, sir! Better than fine. I’m… I’m amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”

The Dragon inclined his head, making himself smaller, as if trying to see Link in the same eye level. Lanayru stared at him for a long, long time. Link never saw him behave like that.

“You know, son, sometimes we believe we’re happy, but we are actually lying to ourselves. Do you really believe you could achieve happiness by living in a lie? Is that true happiness?”

Link stopped. His heart was beating fast, and he was sure his face showed all his fears. He knew where this was going, but no, he would not take the bait. If Lanayru wanted to tell him anything, he would have to spill it out.

“With all due respect, I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying, sir.” Link said, with a firm, clear voice. “I feel happy now. I suppose you wouldn’t argue I deserve happiness, after everything?”

_After everything I sacrificed. Everything I bled and lost, me and only me._

The Thunder Dragon sighed heavily.

“Of course, my child. I am sure everyone around you, everyone that _truly loves_ you wants you to be genuinely happy and healthy.”

“That’s exactly what I am today.” Link said, but there was a lump on his throat, and he averted his eyes. He felt as if he was lying. He had no idea why.

“I suppose you’re here to see Ghirahim, am I right?”

Link locked his eyes with Lanayru. Everything was clear. The Dragon didn’t say he was here to ‘battle’, but ‘to see’ Ghirahim. Not ‘that creep’, not ‘the Demon Lord’, not ‘the weirdo’. Ghirahim.

“You’re right, sir.”

“That’s the fourth time this week alone, Link.”

“He’s the best swordsman in existence.”

“He doesn’t exist anymore.”

Link stopped. Swallowed, but the lump was even heavier. He would not stare at the ground. He would look Lanayru in the eyes. He was a Hero, and he could have many faults, but he was never a coward.

“Say what you mean to say, sir, so I can answer you directly.”

“You’re involved with Ghirahim.”

“And you have been spying on me!” Link took a step forward, without thinking. His hand itched to reach for his sword.

“I’m not spying on you, because there’s nothing _to see_. You have been losing yourself in a virtual world, in a mirage that plays only in your own head. What I am seeing, and I only need to be in front of you to notice it, is that you are sinking deeper and deeper on your own illusions. What happens when you face reality?”

“There’s no reality to face, I’m fine, we’re fi-”

“He is dead, Link.”

“NO!”

His sword was in his hand. He had no idea when that happened. He was painting, as if he had been running. The sword was now on the ground, and he doesn’t remember opening his fingers. Black dots were dancing in front of his eyes.

“Link, you’re panicking. Take deep breaths, please. Please, Link, breathe.”

He was kneeling on the floor. The taste of bile was in his mouth. Ghirahim wasn’t dead, he was alive, he was… he was…

“I need to see him.” Link whispered, but the moment the words were out, he knew it was the only thing right. “I need to see him, sir, please, please, I need to see him, I need to, sir, please, I beg you, let me see him, one last…” he sobbed openly. “Please, just let me see him, just, please…”

One of the big paws touched Link lightly, just brushing his hair. Link didn’t felt comforted, he felt betrayed, Lanayru was the only one with the key to Ghirahim and he was holding him away...

“You can see him, Link. I won't ever forbid you. But please, consider my concerns. Please understand. You can't pretend that he is...”

“Promise you won't change him.” Link begged urgently. “Promise me you'll keep him just... Just as he is, please.”

"I could never change him. He is remade exactly as he was in life... But he's not alive. Remember that, Link, please."

*

That day, Link held Ghirahim close to his chest, crying as he pushed himself deep inside the other man, deeper than he ever was. And still he wasn't deep enough, never enough.

He felt the taste, the warmth, the pressure, the texture of Ghirahim’s skin. Everything felt real because it was real. It was real. It had to be.

Ghirahim was worried, Link could tell. The demon could notice Link's paleness, his sadness, his tears. He asked, but the Hero refused to answer: he wouldn't spoil their moments with the bitter words of a Dragon that couldn't understand. No, he suffered in silence. One pain was enough.

*

“I... I...”

A sigh escapade the giant divinity’s lips.

“You should go now, Link.”

“I'll come back.” he tried to insert courage and sureness in his own voice, but it came out as a request, a doubtful plea.

“You may see him again, yes. I won't forbid you.”

For the first time in hours, Link felt like he could breathe again, and the reason was clear: he spent the last meeting believing he was saying goodbye.

*

A loving habit towards a ghost. Caring for death had become his life.

*

The whole week after that, Link had to wonder what he would do if Lanayru decided to forbid him. What _could_ he do. All the possibilities seemed dark and useless. He didn't cry anymore.

What he did was inspect each and every single arrow in his quiver. It was pointless, he knew. But still. Someone would have to pay for his pain.

*

He woke up one night from a restless night with the painful reminder that he was the one responsible for his own pain, as well as Ghirahim’s. The Demon’s screams of pain were still in his ears, and would be forever.

*

He would not doubt himself. He was the Hero. He did what he had to do. He didn’t _chose_ to… he didn’t chose the final battle. It was over and done. Link could not undo the past, but he could reinvent the present. He could heal the present.

Besides, Lanayru would still let him see Ghirahim. He would look sad and hurt about it, but guess _fucking_ what: it wasn’t the dragon’s deal for him to mess with. Link could live with Lanayru’s sad little sights if he could still swallow Ghirahim’s lovely little moans.

*

It was weeks after the horrible talk with Lanayru that Ghirahim decided to breach the subject. Weeks – long enough to Link forget anything had ever been threatened. Long enough for him to believe himself safe.

Everything seemed okay. Ghirahim met him with kisses and warm touches and easy conversation. They laughed. But when Link's touches became more urgent, Ghirahim stopped him.

“Skychild... I'm not complaining, but aren't you spending way too much time with me?”

Link did a double take.

“What, am I annoying you?”

“That's not what I'm saying. It fills my heart with rainbows to know you cherish my company so, but maybe you wish to be with your friends?”

That's it. Ghirahim was being jealous.

“They're not nearly as much fun as you are, babe, you know that.” Link made to kiss him, but Ghirahim took a step back.

“That may be, but having orgasms is not the only thing that matters, dear.”

Link stared in silence for a whole minute. When he managed to talk, his voice was weak and small.

“I'm not in it for the orgasms. Not just for the orgasms, that is.”

“And that concerns me, really.”

“That concer- really? Oh, fuck off, Ghirahim! I'm allowed to spend some time with my fucking boyfriend.”

“I'm not your boyfriend.” Ghirahim whispered back.

Link stood, once again in silence. He felt like this was the quietest argument he ever had.

“You're not my... Okay. Okay, you know what? I have no idea what I did to piss you off, but fuck you! You don't want me around as much? What, do you have something else to do?”

“No, I don't.” Ghirahim answered bitterly, and Link immediately regretted his words. “I don't, because my whole existence revolves around your calling. My whole being is trapped on this room. I don't wish unto you the same destiny, Hero.”

Link didn't want to hear it. He touched Ghirahim’s arm, trying to emotionally reach him, but still – his voice was nothing more than a whisper.

“Look, whatever you think we have to deal with, we'll manage because we are together, we can-"

“We are not together-”

“We’ve come very far and now we can-”

“I'm not you boyfriend because I'm dead!” Ghirahim yelled. 

All strength was out of Link’s body in a single rush. He sat down, hands over tired knees, feeling empty beyond words. He could not – he could not have this argument, otherwise it would be real. Ghirahim was well, and healthy, and alive, and right in front of him. If he reached out he would touch his skin. He didn’t.

After a beat, the Demon Lord kneeled beside Link, looking even more assured of his words.

“Link, I’m dead. I once told you there’s no novelty in death. I can’t have a relationship, I can’t build a bond, I can’t be your boyfriend, because I was never your boyfriend in life. What you wish to find in me, you could have only reached in life. There’s no way I can be what you need, no way for me to love-”

“No.” Link raised before Ghirahim could finish his words. “I won’t have this conversation with you. I’m not – I’m not trying to find anything, I _have_ found, I’ve found you, I’ve reached you…”

“I’m not really here.” Ghirahim whispered back.

“FUCK YOU!”

It was visible when something changed in the demon. His whole body tensed, his hands were in fists, and he rose from the floor in a movement too perfect to be natural. Even his eyes seemed a different color, fire burning inside them.

“You come here to desecrate my resting soul, to fulfil your own dirty little selfish desires, and you dare to insult me? I’ve played my part, Hero.” The word was said with despise and venom. “I’m finished. _You_ ended me. My soul should not have to burn to keep your living body warm. Don’t try to pierce the veil to keep your own sorrows and regrets at bay. Face them, like the Hero you are.”

Link stared at the ground for a long time. They were in the Sealed Grounds, a place that was simultaneously the best and worst arena for Link. For once, they could see the stars and the moon, even though their glow was always diminished, and the celestial bodies kept shining from a fixed point in the sky, as if painted there. The wind was never quite right, and Link couldn’t pinpoint why: maybe it blew from a different direction in the real arena, maybe it had a different scent. Lastly, Link could never quite shake the memories of fighting Ghirahim ‘till… ‘till the end in this same spot.

“You started this.” Link finally argued, unable to look at Ghirahim.

“I wasn’t aware of what I was starting. It’s done. I’m finishing it.” Ghirahim’s voice didn’t break, he didn’t shed any tears, he didn’t seem destroyed. Link wasn’t sure he would be able to stand on his own two feet for the time it would take for him to walk home, and there was Ghirahim, perfectly fine, immutable. “You once asked me if I opposed your visits. Right now, I do. I don’t wish to see you anymore, Skychild. I will fight you if you ever enter my realm again.”

“How fickle were your feelings, how worthless to you I am.” Link spat, feeling at once angered, powerless and tremendously ridiculous, dramatic beyond reason.

“This is what you’ll never get. How did you wish for my feelings to grow and bloom, if their seeds were planted in the wasteland of a dead man’s chest?”

Ghirahim was never one to turn down a competition in dramatics, no one could out-drama him. Link nodded his assent, chuckling lowly: he was unable to keep this conversation going. He had to agree and go away. Still he couldn’t raise his eyes. The seconds ticked. It was the last time he would ever see Ghirahim. His last opportunity. Link couldn’t. Never again. And yet, he wouldn’t look.

“Good bye, Hero.” Was the last thing he heard, before the image of his own shoes merged in darkness.

*

He never said another word to the Dragon.

*

Three days later, Link dragged his body out of bed. It felt like dragging an incredible weight – it felt like waking up just after killing Demise, as if he had taken a beaten. Only, no, not that. The morning after Demise, he knew he had completed something, he had finished his quest. That morning he only had a terrible bitter taste, bile in his tongue.

But he had to deal. He _had to deal_. That was the whole point, that was the sole reason why he had sought the Thunder Dragon – to deal with his grief, to acknowledge his pain and move on from it. Link had to face what he had lost.

So he raised his body from the bed and walked over his writing desk. There were words… unfinished business. He never got to say it, but he should write it. Somehow, the knowledge had to be outside his own heart and out there, in the real world.

He opened a new page in his notebook and wrote:

_I was in love with Ghirahim. ___

__Immediately he felt tears behind his eyes. The sentence sounded wrong, so wrong, why? So wrong. Wrong because-_ _

__Wrong because he was never in love with Ghirahim. Ghirahim was a Demon Lord, his enemy, the Sword of the Imprisoned. Ghirahim kidnaped Zelda and tried to kill him, then he raised Demise from the dead, and Ghirahim was defeated, because he had been a tool to evil. Then Ghirahim died. And that was it, that was the story they shared._ _

__The words were not out in the “real world”. There was nothing less real than those words._ _

__They never talked, they never kissed, they never fucked. They never shared or laughed or argued or loved. Link had never met Ghirahim, not really. He- no, he never loved Ghirahim, he loved a virtual creation, he didn’t even had that, that small thing where he could say he loved him and Link couldn’t even _suffer_ , it was so painful, so painful knowing they never had anything, Ghirahim was never his, never, never…_ _

__Link was on the floor, clutching his stomach, crying desperately, ugly, small, weak, beaten. He never touched Ghirahim, the only marks Ghirahim ever left on his body were blade scars. He didn’t lost a lover, he never had him. He only loved the illusion, the ghost, the vision, the miracle, and fuck, he wanted at least the small right to say he had at least _that_ , but he couldn’t even claim his own love, and now even that illusion was gone…_ _

__When he woke up hours later, he was still on the floor, nail marks on the palm of his hands, his lip bleeding from a bite wound._ _

__*_ _

__He tried to figure out a way out of his pain. He had to deal, he kept repeating to himself. Deal with it. Deal with it. The wound will have to heal eventually._ _

__A week later, he figured he should talk with Fi. That was always his M.O. when completely lost, right? She could always remember him his goals, his true objectives, bring him back to the righteous path. He only needed to see her again. It had been too long since the last visit._ _

__He made his way to her. He walked over the steps, rehearsing in his head exactly what he would tell her. How he would talk to her about him, about his secrets, about his feelings, about his pain. She would guide him, surely._ _

__When he approached the altar, all illusions were destroyed. Fi wasn’t there._ _

__What he once called Fi wasn’t his friend. It was just a sword, an unmoving, un-living sword, an object. He could never reach her again, and he had been fooling himself. She was gone, as well._ _

__Link bled his fingers in the Sacred Blade, hoping beyond hope she would appear to warn him he was dying. But a few drops of blood were not lethal, and apparently one couldn’t die of a broken heart._ _

__He never felt this lonely._ _

__*_ _

__“I needed to see you both. I... I have a confession to make.”_ _

__Zelda and Groose sat on the table at the Lumpy Pumpkin. Link thought about meeting then on Impa's memorial, but he wanted to talk in the land of the living – the sounds of chatter and bumping tableware would be a reminder there was a world still spinning around him._ _

__It was time._ _

__“I was in love with Ghirahim.” Link said in a clear, firm voice. He let the information sink for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and kept going. “In a few ways, I still am. I fell in love with him... during the war, really. I thought I was just fascinated, but the true is I was completely taken by him. He was unique and a... a challenge, really. And I knew he was attracted to me as well, and I couldn't help but... Wonder how it would be, if... If the scenery was different. If we had different parts to play, or if I could met him beyond the war. Those last few months I've been trying to deal with my heartbreak, in a rather poorly way. I thought I could cheat the game and steal all those moments... those days we never had, that we were never meant to have. The words we never spoke, the touches we never... I thought I could make them real again – or, you know, make them real for once. But I was lying to myself. It only felt real because my feelings were real, from the beginning. I won't deny myself any longer: I loved him. I've lost him. He died by my-” Link sobbed, but there were no tears. He started again. “Ghirahim died by my sword, and I loved him. Or yet, I could have loved him – in another universe, in another time. But he believed we were bonded by a thread of fate. I will live my life praying the Goddesses will allow us to entangle once again, in another life.”_ _

__Zelda sighed deeply, swallowing what Link figured was a sob, but it was Groose who, very gently, spoke first._ _

__“Don't you think your loneliness might have created the... the illusion, for lack of a better word, of love?”_ _

__Link chuckled. He’d wondered that as well, of course._ _

__“I think the only reason I was lonely was because I was mourning the loss of my beloved. That's why every gesture felt pointless. No one could guess what I had lost, not even myself.”_ _

__“But you have earned happiness, Link.” Zelda spoke, and her hands were trembling. “You have... You deserve it!”_ _

__“I know.” Link looked down at the table, avoiding her sad eyes. “Let us pray I'll reach it in my next life.”_ _

__*_ _

__So that was life: a broken life with days pilling over days. Link wasn't unhappy: he was in pain, like those who live with chronical diseases. He laughed and talked and played stupid games, he built a life for his people on the Surface, and over all that, he missed Ghirahim. He loved and missed, like background noise. It was chronical pain. He survived._ _

__He wasn't regretful. He didn't feel guilty, not anymore. He knew they played their parts in a play bigger than their lives. He had friends, caring friends, and he was a Hero. But it hurt, still, always, because some days he woke up remembering vividly the touch of a ghost, the touch he was never meant to know. It froze his heart, that kind of pain._ _

__He was a Hero. He could face it._ _

__*_ _

__(Some days, he couldn't. But he had friends. They promised he would be okay. Occasionally, he felt better.)_ _

__*_ _

__He destroyed the last remaining of Ghirahim's army of Bokoblins. He was a Hero, and that was his duty. It was a losing army anyway, so that was probably what the Demon would have wanted. Link didn't wonder about that. He could never think of Ghirahim while yielding his sword._ _

__*_ _

__Houses were built. The Surface was not the same place Ghirahim once ruled. That was for the best, as well._ _

__Zelda planned a castle to rule over the land, a building that would forever change the country’s horizon. Link was very pleased. They made plans._ _

__*_ _

__He didn't visit Lanayru ever again._ _

__*_ _

__He walked Faron Woods a lot these days. Something in the Woods felt like home. A year after his heartbreak, a lot seemed changed on the Surface and still, it felt like Link belonged here. He was... content. In pain. But content._ _

__A snap sound made him look around, but he didn't reach for his bow yet: if it was just a Kikwi, he didn't want to deal with their nervous breakdown after seeing an arrow. Unwanted visitors were rare these days, anyway._ _

__“You're losing your touch, Hero.”_ _

__Link spun in place. No. No._ _

__His ears must been playing tricks, but then so must be his eyes: there he stood, dressed in white, a red cape on his shoulders. Ghirahim._ _

__“It's...” Link felt dizzy. “It's not...”_ _

__“Oh, but it is, dear. I assure you, Skychild, it is me.” he wore a half smile. “Did you think I wouldn't return because you destroyed me?”_ _

__“No, I...” Link stopped. What the fuck. _What the fuck_._ _

__“Really, Hero, you used to be so polite and innocent, I’m blushing!”_ _

__Oh, so he had been saying those aloud. Okay. Okay. Okay._ _

__Ghirahim rolled his eyes. (Had his ‘okays’ also been aloud?). The Demon materialized a dagger out of thin air, and he looked just about to use it too._ _

__“WOW!” Link raised his hands, as if Demon Lord Ghirahim raising a dagger was a completely unexpected turn of events. “I mean, just, hm, wait. How much do you remember?"_ _

__Ghirahim looked from Link to his own blade and back to Link. _He_ seemed about to ask ‘what the fuck’ on his own, so at least Link wasn’t the one completely confused._ _

__“Hero, I’m sorry, but I fail to realize why this information matters in the current context.”_ _

__“It's of the utmost importance, really.” It was a miracle Link could say words like utmost at times like this. “You can end me after, just tell me how much you remember of..."_ _

__“The battle you killed me?” Link flinched, as if hit. “Yes, I do remember your destruction. Then I... I woke up. Or, rather, I was awakened.”_ _

__Link’s mind immediately turned to Demise. Could the Demon King be alive again? Hylia Almighty, was this going to be the Great Surface War, Part III?_ _

__“Awaken by whom?” Link dared to ask._ _

__“By the Goddess, of all people! Can you believe that?”_ _

__“The Goddess woke you?”_ _

__Ghirahim clapped his hands and clicked his tongue, the dagger still floating beside him. “Look, Hero, this talk is all fine and dandy, but you want to keep chatting or do you wish to fight?”_ _

__“Actually, I would love to keep chatting.” Link answered with a shy smile that would have, once, made Ghirahim jump his bones in 0.5 seconds._ _

__“You would?” this Ghirahim seemed way too surprised to react with innuendos and sexual advances, though. “Why?”_ _

__“Well, first I’d very much like to know why Hylia would awake her enemy’s sword spirit.”_ _

__“Oh, that’s the million rupee question, isn’t it?” Ghirahim agreed. “I asked her the same, actually.”_ _

__Link waited for the sword to continue, but he kept his silence._ _

__“Well? What did she answer? The suspense is killing me.”_ _

__“Oh, there’s no place for dramatic pauses in this narrative, good gracious! Your Holiness told me she believed I still had a part to play in the living world, something to do with something-something hearts and emotions and maybe some blah-blah-blah about love. She wasn’t spilling names, so I didn’t pay her much attention. After that incredibly useless talk, she said I could chose if I wished to live in a world where I was defeated or if I would prefer to succumb with my Master’s Greatness.”_ _

__“I’m guessing your chose the former?”_ _

__“Let’s just say my Master’s Greatness wasn’t all that great. Why should I be buried under the name of such a weak King?”_ _

__“You shouldn’t.” Link answered with passion, taking a step forward, overjoy finally taking him. “It’s not fair, it was never fair.”_ _

__“I know, right!” Ghirahim agreed, nodding his head. “That’s exactly what I told her last year.”_ _

__“Wait, what? Year?”_ _

__Ghirahim blinked at the Hero, as if something was wrong with that reaction._ _

__“Yeeees…” The Demon inclined his head, studying Link. “She woke me a year ago, give or take.”_ _

__“And you’re appearing just now? Why? What the hell, Ghirahim!”_ _

__The dagger floating near Ghirahim’s head suddenly flied towards Link, who had to do a very sudden – and clumsy – dive to avoid it hitting his head._ _

__“Hero, why _should_ I appear to you the moment I was awaken? What’s your involvement in all that? And _why isn’t your sword draw_?”_ _

__Ghirahim conjured another four daggers, in a move Link recognized from previous battles between them. Link raised his hands, pulling himself from the ground slowly._ _

__“Okay, don’t stab me, one answer at a time, alright? I was the one who killed you.” And, what a miracle, that Link could say those words without pain and without grief – the reason, the man realized, was because they weren’t true, not anymore. “I should be top priority in your list, I always took you for an appreciator of good old vendettas.”_ _

__One of the swords puffed out of existence, as if congratulating Link for a question well answered. “Well, I did nurtured some vengeful thought towards your lovely body, I won’t lie, Link.”_ _

__“Yeah!” Link celebrated, which earned a quizzed look from the Demon. “I mean, surely you did! I’m not celebrating you wanted to kill me, I’m celebrating I was right. Obviously.”_ _

__“Clearly.” Ghirahim still had a creased frown. “Killing rages aside, I took a step back and realized I… shouldn’t try to kill you. Well, not right away, at least. You were, after all, acting just according. We were all playing our best moves in a game far beyond our control. Why should I resent you for being exactly what you were always meant to be?”_ _

__The words made something inside Link’s chest hurt, with the memory of a conversation once shared inside a dream._ _

__“And besides,” Ghirahim kept going, other two swords turning into dust as well, the one left spinning slowly in the air. “the Goddess wanted me to purify my soul. She made me go through four Silent Realms.”_ _

__“She did? Oh, man, I feel bad for you. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”_ _

__Ghirahim laughed freely. “Well, clearly you wouldn’t. I was under this terrible task for most of the year.”_ _

__“Really? You must suck at it, dude. I finished mines in a month or so.”_ _

__“But mines were really hard!” Ghirahim whined. “My soul had all those bad things to clean, Link, not all of us are pure hearts with shinning souls! The guardians were extra-mean to meeee!” He pouted, and Link always went soft when Ghirahim entered in his ‘pretty-little-beast’ mood._ _

__“I’m sure they were, babe.” And even the Hero could hear the affection dripping from his soft voice._ _

__Ghirahim focused back on Link, and the demon was now standing very still, his eyes narrowed and his head tilted to a side once again. Even the spinning dagger stopped, sinking into the dirt with its blade down._ _

__Ghirahim’s eyes searched the Hero’s face, as if trying to read everything. “There’s a lot you’re not telling me, isn’t it?”_ _

__Link sighed. “I’m… I’m just really happy to see you, actually. The Surface isn’t the same without you.”_ _

__Link recognized the taken aback look on Ghirahim’s eyes, as well as the weird hand gestures that followed. Even the words, in their slightly change, made his heart flutter anew._ _

__“… Honestly, I’m speechless.” Ghirahim finally answered._ _

__Link smiled at his own feet, too afraid of meeting Ghirahim’s eyes on that moment. He wanted to kiss, to hug, to feel Ghirahim’s fingers between his own in broad daylight, in the real, touchable world – he wanted to figure what would feel the same and what would be different, he wanted to confess his love and to jump right to where they left off. But he could wait. Contrary to his first instinct, he knew he was building a new relationship, after all – a new, real relationship, with someone he knew he could deeply care for. This wasn’t a second chance: this was the real deal, and everything before had been just rehearsal. Exciting new things waited for them: a brand new – and real – world._ _

__Besides, there was something else he had, for a long time, wished to do, something he could only do now: when it became clear Ghirahim wouldn’t raise his sword against him, and he had at least the demon’s attention, Link could finally ask:_ _

__“So, how about you? I bet a lot happened in your quest to purify your soul. C’mon, babe,” he smiled, healed and overjoyed, truly _happy_ at least. “tell me about your life.”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> SO YAY I FINISHED THAT!
> 
> References first:
> 
> Days of Thunder is a Tom Cruise movie, dudes.
> 
> The epigraphy is a line from Albus Dumbledore written by our wonderful, wonderful J. K. Rowls
> 
> The line "My soul should not have to burn to keep your living body warm." is heavily inspired on the poem 'Things to Remember' by Elizabeth Gracely.
> 
> OKAY NOW THAT THIS IS DONE  
> Jesus Christ this fic was trying to kill me, it just wouldn't eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeend. I wrote it on the work, I wrote it on the bus, I wrote it at home, I wrote in my bff's home (he teased me for days ffs), I wrote it everywhere and it. didn't. finished. itself. It's not even that long, what the hell?
> 
> Anyway, I loved writing it because I actually loved the prompt and I loved the ideas the prompt gave me, but I feel it turned way too dark towards the end? Once again, I tend to make studies about those two characters, and well... it got a little out of hand, me thinks.
> 
> And the sex is lame? Why is the sex so lame? it could be more sex, why so little sex?
> 
> Anyway, as usual, ANY WORD from this fandom LIGHTS MY DAY because we are so few and I love to talk about those two assholes. Thank u so much for reading!!! PLEASE COMMENT!


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